Contact
by PrehistoricCat
Summary: "Words weren't necessary for two people who just wanted to be with someone else who understood what it was like to feel completely alone."  *spoilers for series 4*


**Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright**

**A/N: If you don't like the pairing, don't read. Those that do read on, I hope you enjoy. I'm finding Abby easier to write at the moment and I'm a sucker for angsty stories. Please take the time to let me know if you enjoyed this, it feeds the muse for more fic!**

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Abby had volunteered to take Danny to the company apartment herself; she felt that he shouldn't just be dumped there by a stranger and left on his own. She remembered that feeling of complete confusion she'd had on that first night – it was 'home' but not how she had dreamt it would be. At least Connor had been with her; a piece of familiarity that she could cling on to. That seemed like a lifetime ago, and so much had happened in the three months since they'd been back. The once loving man she'd spent an entire year alone with had become distant; almost a stranger. She'd never felt as lonely as she did right now, but seeing Danny again was a little glimmer of light in the darkness that had become Abby's life since Connor had made his decision. He'd chosen Philip Burton over her, and it stung like hell.

Danny had been pretty quiet as she drove; his eyes scanning the surrounding buildings. She'd done exactly the same; not quite sure what to make of it all. She didn't push him for conversation, knowing he'd talk when he was ready. They stopped off at a petrol station on the way and Abby bought a few basic toiletries for him from the shop. She had no idea what he liked; but guessed pretty much anything would do right now. Shampoo, soap, toothpaste and toothbrush, a razor and some deodorant. - it wasn't much but it would help him begin to feel human again. As she got back in the car, he smiled gratefully and asked if they could go to the drive-thru McDonalds - "I could murder a Big Mac and fries right now." he said.

"No problem." Abby said. It actually sounded like a very good idea, despite the fact she rarely ate fast food these days. The drive-thru was just a few hundred yards from the petrol station, so it only took a couple of minutes to join the queue of cars and place their order. Abby glared at the assistant who was giving Danny strange looks whilst she paid at the window – how dare people judge someone on their appearance? If that spotty teenager knew that Danny had just spent 15 months in the ancient past fearing for his life every day, the looks would be very different.

Danny caught Abby's glare and stroked the back of her hand that was clenched angrily on the steering wheel. "It's OK, Abby. Let him stare. After what I've been through – what we've both been through – the opinion of some kid barely out of nappies hardly matters."

"You're right." She said, forcing a fake smile as she took the paper bag from the assistant and handed it to Danny, and then took the two cups containing ice-cold diet coke. When Danny had them all settled on his lap, she pulled away; resisting the urge to flick two fingers at the boy. Danny started to laugh. "What's so funny?" Abby said.

"You. God, I missed all this! If you could see your face, Abby." He laughed so hard that one of the cups of coke fell and spilt on his lap and onto the floor of Abby's car. "Sorry! I'll clean it up when we get to this apartment."

"It's OK." Abby smiled, then found herself laughing too. It felt good; there hadn't been much to smile about recently so this was a welcome relief. "We're not far away, are you very wet?"

"Been covered in worse stuff than this before, its not a problem." Danny leaned back in the seat and sighed. Abby glanced at him, wondering how he actually managed to get home. When she'd realised that the figure strolling through the anomaly was him, she had given a scream of delight and flung her arms around his neck. He'd hugged her and squeezed her; reluctantly letting go when Becker came over. She said they'd talk later, and she stood back to allow him to be properly de-briefed and checked over by the medics. She heard him ask where Sarah and Connor were, and Becker had glanced anxiously at Abby. The look of relief on his face was obvious when Matt came over and Becker didn't actually have to reply. Sooner or later though, Abby knew Danny would ask the question again and she had to prepare herself.

Abby pulled up at a security barrier and swiped a plastic card through the slot at the side. The barrier lifted and she drove through, parking up in a space marked 'Prospero Industries'. "This is it." Abby said. Danny got out and eyed the apartment block – it looked like a resort on the coast of Spain or Portugal, except considerably more up-market. "It's not home, but I think you'll welcome being able to have a bath and a nice soft bed to sleep in."

As she led Danny across the car park and into the building, her mind wandered back to the time it was her being led into the apartment, with Connor clutching her hand tightly. She unlocked the door and made her way straight into the kitchen. Danny followed behind slowly, his eyes scanning around and taking in the details of his new surroundings. He perched on a stool and ripped open the bag containing the food. His Big Mac was devoured in seconds, and Abby watched him with amusement. "Hungry?" she said. Danny simply nodded, and grabbed a handful of fries to shove into his mouth. Abby pushed her box of fries towards him. "Seems your need is greater than mine." He took them gratefully and grinned from ear to ear as he savoured the taste of real food for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

Abby pulled up the other stool and sat next to him, silently eating her own burger. She hadn't realised just how hungry she was until the taste hit her lips; she'd not been eating properly herself – food just hadn't been a priority, and her stomach had got so used to small portions at strange times of the day she just grazed or nibbled as and when she remembered she needed to eat.

Wiping his mouth and belching loudly, Danny stood up. "Where's the bathroom in this place?" he said.

Abby indicated down the corridor to the left. "I'd recommend having a bath, that tub is amazing!"

"I could be some time then!" He said, grabbing the carrier bag of toiletries Abby had bought, and striding down the corridor. Abby's eyes followed him until the door to the bathroom closed behind him. She gathered up the rubbish and threw it into the bin, then began to wander around the apartment.

It seemed pretty much as it had been when she and Connor had been here previously, although a cleaner had obviously been in. The place was spotless; the surfaces sparkled where the remains of the day's sunlight filtered through the blind. She found herself drawn towards the bedroom, and that huge bed. That first sight of it had been like a vision of heaven, and she had sunk straight into it whilst Connor tried to work out where the light switches were. She sat on the end and stroked the crisp white duvet cover with her fingertips; remembering how Connor had slid in next to her, still slightly damp from their bath, and how they'd made love wrapped up in the huge soft duvet. She blinked back the tears forming in her eyes.

"Come on, Abby!" She chastised herself. "You said no more crying over him!" She had to get out of this room, it was too painful. Going out onto the balcony was also out of the question. They'd stood out there in the early morning sunlight; holding each other and wondering what was ahead for them now. Connor had said "Whatever happens, Abby, we must keep looking out for each other." .. well she had stuck to her side of the bargain; she'd told him her concerns about Burton but he'd refused to listen – how could his hero be as bad as Abby said? He'd said it was all in her head, and that being in the Cretaceous had obviously made her lose her judgement.

"Tea!" she said out loud in an attempt to shake away her thoughts about Connor. Danny liked tea – strong with milk and two sugars if she recalled correctly. He should have a warm drink to help him wind down before he went to bed she decided. Busying herself in the kitchen refocused her mind back to the present day. She could hear splashing and groans of pleasure coming from the bathroom – being clean again had been the one thing she had really wanted when she came back, and that bathtub big enough for two had been a welcome sight.

Minutes later, Danny emerged from the bathroom draped in one of the big, white, fluffy towelling dressing gowns left in there. He was now clean shaven, and apart from the straggly mop of hair he looked pretty much like the old Danny; except for a few scars on his face and neck. No doubt there was some story attached to each one, but those could be told another time. He took a mug of tea from Abby and flopped onto the sofa, indicating for her to sit beside him. She nursed her own mug in both hands as she sipped the soothing, hot contents.

"Why did Becker avoid my question about Sarah and Connor?" Danny finally asked. This was it; Abby's stomach lurched.

"Sarah was killed during one of the missions to rescue us." she said quietly, unable to make eye contact with Danny. She knew exactly what those words would mean to him. "I don't know the details; Becker won't say. I just know that after that, Becker resigned and the ARC lost most of its government funding. We're privately owned now, pretty much. That's why we've got this place to use."

Danny stared in front of him, blinking. Abby could tell he hadn't actually heard anything after she'd said Sarah had been killed. He would be as devastated as she and Connor had been. He sat in silence for a few minutes, then pulled himself together.

"What happened to Connor?" Danny asked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... is he... did he make it back too?" Danny swallowed hard, not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

"Oh... yes, Connor made it back with me. We survived a whole year." Abby heard her voice become strained. She knew what was coming next. No-one else had really asked; they didn't need to. Her and Connor had fallen apart in front of everyone at the ARC, and no-one had been surprised when Jess told them that Connor had moved out of the flat.

"At least you had each other." Danny said. Abby nodded. "Where is he now? Surely you and he got close during that time?"

"We did, in every sense. It just didn't translate into something real when we came back. We're different people now." She wasn't going to cry; not in front of Danny; not now.

"I'm sorry." Danny said. "I always thought you two would end up growing old together with a gaggle of grandchildren at your feet." He flashed her a smile in an attempt to lighten the mood, but quickly realised that she was about to crack. He slid his arm around her shoulder. "Let it out, sweetheart. Bottling it up is only going to make you ill."

Abby couldn't hold it back any longer. It was almost as if someone had turned on a tap. Her tears fell uncontrollably, and she struggled to breathe in between her sobs. She allowed Danny to pull her into his shoulder and surround her in his strong arms. She felt his chin rest on the top of her head and he whispered that it was all OK. She felt safe for the first time in weeks, and the aching loneliness she'd had was washing away. Somehow, she believed Danny knew exactly how she felt; that this wasn't just about Connor but about the life the three of them had left behind the day they stepped through that anomaly.

Some minutes later when her sobs had subsided, she pulled away. Danny smiled at her. "Feel better now?"

"Sort of. I'm sorry … it's your first night home and it should be me looking after you!" She felt her cheeks go hot and she knew she was turning a several shades of red.

"It's fine. I missed being around people. Early man wasn't exactly great at the art of conversation, and they would've run a mile if I'd tried to hug them the way I just hugged you." Danny's face became serious and his eyes dropped to look at the floor. "You and Connor were lucky."

"Lucky?" Abby said incredulously. "We weren't exactly at a holiday camp you know!"

"Bad choice of words. What I meant was; you still had someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on when things seemed hopeless, someone to hold you when you couldn't take any more! You're the first human I've touched in 15 months." It was Danny's turn to turn red.

Abby reached for his hand. "I can't even begin to imagine what it was like." For Abby, the one thing that had kept her sane was being around Connor. But that was gone now, and when she thought about it she sort of understood how Danny had felt. She had shut herself off emotionally the last few weeks, and the only conversation she'd had before today was with a shop assistant when she did her weekly grocery shopping. It was a completely different situation to Danny's of course, but she missed physical contact. "If you wanted to..." She stumbled on her words; her throat tightening.

"I just want... I just want to be held." Danny said, his voice barely a whisper. Abby pulled him to her; threading her arm around his waist and stroking his hair. He pressed into her, resting his head on her chest and sliding his arms around her waist. His scent filled her nostrils and his warmth began to spread through her body. It had been a long since she'd been this close to anyone, and she needed this so much.

They leaned against the back of the sofa, just holding each other. Neither spoke. Words weren't necessary for two people who just wanted to be with someone else who understood what it was like to feel completely alone.

After a short time, Abby felt Danny's body shaking against hers and she realised he was crying. Maybe this was the first time he'd allowed his emotions out? She stroked his cheek with her fingertips and wiped away the tears that were flowing; feeling a sudden urge to do more than simply hold him. She want to be touched, caressed...and maybe if she touched him he'd respond. She allowed her fingers to drift slowly from his cheek to his neck, and that was when he looked up. He opened his mouth to speak but she stopped him; her fingers on her free hand pressed against his lips to let him know that he didn't need to say anything.

She held his gaze, trying to read his thoughts as her hand drifted from his neck to his chest; pausing momentarily on his throat before sliding down to touch the bare flesh. A shiver of excitement shot through her body and she was conscious that her breathing was becoming deeper. Underneath that soft dressing gown Danny was naked and she needed to touch him and be touched in return.

Danny mirrored her actions; his fingers softly stroking the curve of her neck and throat. Abby's breath hitched when his fingers reached the V of her blouse, and she caught a flicker of something in his eyes as he hesitated; unsure of just how far she would allow this to go. Abby realised that they both needed more than just fingertip contact, and she had to show him that it was OK to fulfil their needs. With shaking hands, she loosened the belt holding his dressing gown together and slid it from his shoulders so that it fell to his waist. She spread her palms and moved them across his bare chest. His skin was warm to the touch, firm and yet soft at the same time. Maintaining eye contact, she shifted closer; becoming intoxicated by his scent. His adam's apple was dancing up and down his throat; his breathing matching hers and she briefly saw the tip of his tongue dart out to lick his lips.

Need was turning into desire.

His hands fumbled clumsily on the tiny buttons of her blouse and she wondered if she should help him. Just as she was about to move her hands from his chest, she felt her blouse loosen and fall from her shoulders. Finally, she was going to be touched properly and her body trembled in anticipation. She heard herself whimper when his hand slid inside the lace of her bra to cup and caress her breast and Danny gave a sigh. His lips sought hers; kissing her softly and then moving to gently nip her earlobe. His free hand slid slowly to her back and attempted to undo the fastening of her bra. Abby reached around and helped him; she wanted rid of it as much as he did.

They pulled each other into an embrace; Abby gasping at the sensation of her hardened, sensitive nipples against Danny's bare chest. She'd expected Danny to be rough, but he was surprisingly gentle; his caresses sensual and loving. Their hands explored each other's bodies, taking in every inch of soft skin, every line of muscle and each curve. As their mouths met again, Abby felt a familiar stirring in her groin and let out a groan. Danny responded; deepening the kiss and tangling his tongue with hers as his hands moved to the waistband of her jeans. She knew what he wanted and she wanted it too.

Abby broke off the kiss to enable them both to remove the final barriers between them. As she sat in front of him, completely naked, she saw his eyes flicking up and down taking in every inch of her. It should have felt uncomfortable being under such intense scrutiny; but it actually increased the longing she had. She took in the sight of his nakedness too until the need for physical contact took over. She pulled him into her embrace again; her hand grasping his erection and feeling it grow even harder as she stroked him. His mouth was on her breast, sucking softly and flicking his tongue on the erect nipple. Then she felt his hand move between her thighs, easing them apart. He paused for a moment before pushing two fingers into her wet core.

Abby's sighs matched Danny's groans; the sounds of their pleasure and need filling the air. Danny's cock twitched in her hand whilst she felt her own internal muscles rippling around his fingers. Abby knew they were both close to the edge, but not quite close enough. Danny seemed to read her thoughts and removed his fingers. Gazing deep into her eyes, he rasped "Abby, I want..." He stopped, his breathing hard and fast.

"Me too." Abby whispered. She moved to straddle his lap, and as their mouths mashed together hungrily she positioned herself so that the tip of his erection was teasing at her slick entrance. She eased herself onto him, allowing his cock to slide inside her. Gasping, she felt him stretch her, pushing down deeper and deeper until he was completely inside. Her emotions finally got the better of her, and she felt tears fall down her cheeks. She had missed contact like this so much. Briefly opening her eyes, she saw tears on Danny's cheeks too; fifteen months of loneliness flooding out of his body as he began to move inside Abby's. This was intense for the both of them, and Abby wasn't sure how much longer she could hold back; the fire radiating from her groin was already spreading and it wouldn't be long before it completely engulfed her.

They found a rhythm, Danny's hips thrusting upwards to meet Abby's downward movement. Their limbs tangled together, and their sighs and moans grew louder and more frequent as they built towards their climax. They were as one now, a union of more than just their bodies. When Danny released, it was like an explosion. Abby's name spilled from his lips along with a string of expletives and loud moans as he continued to thrust into her; filling her more than willing body. He rubbed the swollen hub of her clit with both his thumbs which was enough to tip her over the edge. Her body convulsed violently as pleasure swamped every muscle, and she sobbed Danny's name over and over as she rode out her orgasm.

Finally, Danny pulled her into a kiss that said everything. He was still inside her, and neither was in any hurry to break off their connection. The tender kiss and soft caresses lasted for some minutes as they both recovered, and when they reluctantly separated it was like losing a part of themselves. Abby had no idea what that meant, and she didn't want to even think about it; not yet. For the moment, she was content with here and now; making any kind of plan only led to heartache. She just knew she wasn't alone any more, and there was someone who knew what it was like.

Danny eyes were closing, so Abby snuggled against him. Sleep came quickly for her too once she allowed herself to relax. Consequences could be dealt with in the morning.


End file.
